Do you want to start your online restaurant and really see this as a full-time business? Not bad! Many people have the same dream.
Or,
Do you have already running a restaurant? Huh…
Do you find the cost of managing and keeping your restaurant up and running more than what you originally envisaged for a month?
If so, you have one of the common problems that any restaurant owner can generally face.
You see, there’s so many articles out there on the web with lot of different things and ideas. Who do you listen to? Where’s the starting point?
Damnit, maybe you should just forget it – it’s too confusing!
It is a well-known myth that 80 to 90% of restaurant fail in their first year. I hate to see people having a misperception that restaurant is a bad way to invest money.
Well today, you are in for a treat because I am writing a proven guide on running a successful restaurant.
Some are proven.
Some are controversial.
Some will make you start restaurant today.
Some take time and money.
But they are all help you to get success in restaurant industry.
I promise it’ll be simple, relatively easy to understand no stupid jargon. Sound good?
Awesome, let’s move jump into in this complete guide.
Please note: This is long guide around 2200 words which means roughly 10 minutes of reading. So, grab some cookie with tea, coffee, juice and start with step by step.
Hard work, delicious food, best services are not enough. You need proper training and a creative online marketing plan, before you go for online restaurant. These may not be as easy as menu design or table and chair selection.
A proven guide is your roadmap for the future of the restaurant. This guide not only does provide direction. it requires you to consider all the pitfalls and opportunities of your prospective enterprise, well before you open its doors. It is your script of how the business ought to be.
How to start a successful Online Restaurant Business?
To start your online restaurant, you just need to do following things:
- Build a Website:
It may seem normal but it bears repeating: today every business needs an online presence for their customers. Therefore, your restaurant also needs a clean, presentable website with elegant content.
You have signed board on every pillar of road and big hording on road side, right? Think about web presence it is like your online signage. Website acts as an official identity on the web of your restaurant and give you a url you can share on various social channels. Build a beautiful even a simple one can rank higher in search result when someone is looking for restaurant or food café. And that’s where you want to be when someone Google your name.
You can display information about your business like:
- Your location and address and phone number
- Hours of operation
- An email address to contact you
- Social channels set up
And the nice to have
- Menus
- About your restaurant page
- Reviews and rating of your restaurant.
- Build a Mobile Application:
75% of users are finding information on the web using their smartphones.
Are you aware that the behavior of your customers? More than 50% of smartphone users ordering food and searching restaurant via mobile apps.
That’s the reason why restaurants moving on mobile application to keep up with the latest marketing trends or lose relevance. Your customers are on mobile, your restaurant must be there too! Be sure that building a restaurant app is profitable investment.
Wouldn’t it be good idea to have an app on your customer’s smartphone? The challenge with getting a good service, dishes and food is providing a reason for them to put your app on their phone. That’s why a building a mobile app makes sense: they earn loyalty for your restaurant each time when they come to your restaurant. Every time they look at the app, they will be reminded that they are coming closer earning a free offers and deals. Developing a custom app doesn’t have to be expensive. Our recommended provider, WeDigTech (Mobile app development company) will help you build a custom app for as little as $5k. Click here to get started.
Also read: Top 5 Reasons How Apps Can Increase Your Business
Apps are enabling restaurant to do business in hitherto unheard of ways. Here is How:
Mobile apps are helping restaurant in acquiring orders:
Restaurants are rapidly moving on mobile apps to keep in touch with new and existing customers and get back to them on restaurant door. As almost every one today use smart phone, Restaurant can easily use this tool to attract the attention of their local customers and market. Apps are today becoming digital storefronts for most businesses.
Also read: This App Lets you Buy Leftover Food from Restaurants on Very Cheap Price
Supply chain and delivery becomes cost effective:
With mobile apps, restaurants now can better manage all food ordering, booking system without having to invest in desktop software. You can track your inventory, billing and account work also keeping track your employee and communicate with them via push notifications.
Payment process have gone easy for both:
With apps, it’s easier to transact with customers via mobile wallet and payment apps. There are many companies that build complete application package for payment, accounting and customer management.
Also read: UberEATS – App to Fulfil Taste Buds
Customer support made easy:
Nowadays, many restaurant app have chatbot for communicating with customers in real time. Users can text an oder and immediately get the answer or chat about the availability of product, table etc. It is easier to share information about the dishes and menus.
Also read: Dominos Zero Click App – Order Pizza Without Clicks
- Build a Mobile Website:
The most important step to get into online restaurant business is building a mobile website that adjusts according to any device screen size. Responsive mobile site make it easier for people to find information about your restaurant on their smartphone. Your website should be easy to use and handle by one finger. According to recent research 69% of smartphone users access the web daily from their mobile. This is the main reason restaurant owner should focus on building a mobile version of their desktop website or mobile app that operate quickly and easily by users.
- Socialize:
Did you know 90% of restaurant are on social media and more than 70% of them have increased their sales by 15% since joining social channels.
There are different social channels you need to know which are the most appropriate for your business and where is your potential customers.
The most famous social media channels are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat. Being on right platform is an important step for any successful online marketing strategy. You can post about upcoming promotions and provide special offers on your social media. This is one of the best ways to extend brand and build your online reputation.
Facebook:
Facebook is the biggest name among other social media channels with over 1 billion users worldwide. In India ½ our population is on Facebook and we are one of the fastest growing users globally on Facebook and spending more time on Facebook than any other media channel.
You just need to set up a page of your restaurant on Facebook with correct category. You are ready to promote your restaurant.
Instagram:
Instagram is a new daddy of social media owned by Facebook in 2015. Engagement on Instagram is higher than any other social media channel. You can create a profile as a business profile and promote your restaurant.
Twitter:
Today Twitter has become a very strong social platform which simply can’t be underestimated. Create a business profile on twitter and tweet about your dishes and services and promote them on as a promoted tweet. People usually share their ideas related to what they prefer to eat and drink.
Pinterest:
Pinterest is a social image search engine but people consider it a social media channel. Restaurant can take the advantage of pint rest as its ideally suited for beautiful image and who does not love food and dishes images.
“People Are Hungry for food. Make Sure New Customers Can Find Your Restaurant Online.”
- Digital Marketing:
Digital Marketing is a form of online marketing and taking over every business these days, including restaurant industry as well. However, there are many techniques to do digital marketing that makes up for a successful online presence. It includes SEO, PPC, content marketing, email marketing.
SEO:
SEO is a form of digital marketing to drive organic traffic to your website. SEO is something that you are probably looking for your restaurant website to generate leads from google search when someone looking for restaurant in your local area. SEO helps you to rank your name above your competitor it not only generates traffic to your website but also get you more customers in to your restaurant.
PPC:
If you are new in the market with new website or app and google search engine has not found you yet, then PPC (pay per click) advertising enter. This is advertising system of google to display your ad on search results and partner channels. It is quick way to mark your presence on search results while you are building up your SEO at the same time.
Also read: 10 Mobile Growth Hacks That Will Increase Your App Growth
Email marketing:
Email is one of the most reliable, power tools and prominent methods of building customer list and attract and retain clients. Restaurants are spending about 15% of their marketing budgets on email. It’s still above other medium of digital marketing and even face-to-face contact as a marketing method. Email is the best way to reach your potential and loyal customers. With the growing use of application and smartphone users can easier access to email inbox, email marketing is a crucial element of digital marketing plan for online restaurants.
Content marketing:
Tweet this – Content marketing is a brand marketing and one of the most effective way to connect, engage and build trust with your potential customers.
The aim of content marketing is to attract, acquire, engage and thus, keep restaurant customers. Content marketing can enhance the reputation of any restaurant in an effective manner. Involve content marketing plan in your digital marketing of restaurant.
App Store Optimization:
App store optimization (ASO) is the process of optimizing your mobile app as per search engine guideline to increase your mobile app rankings in the app store to improve visibility and thereby garner more app downloads. when consequence, potential customers find your apps, on play or app store, app store optimization will be your key to popularizing your business app and get it downloaded.
- Restaurant Marketing Tips You Ought to Try
- Online marketing is a rapidly changing environment you should be stay current with statics, trends, facts about your restaurant domain that can help you analyze your restaurant online marketing plan.
- Type your name on Google can you find it there. If not, then have a functional website of your restaurant with your name. Make your website well optimize that rank on google search result when someone type your name and search a service that you provide online. Website is a key to get them to your restaurant before they find your competitors. You can also create a blog and publish content daily related to your dishes and services and post on your social profile and online reviews site.
- Practising to target your local customers through your website for this you can take help of Local SEO. Since 72% of all searches are related to a search for local content, so your website should be there when someone looking for local restaurant for eating and parting.
- Offer free meal for local food blogger and ask them to write a review post on their blog in return. The local food blogger link will help you with ranking of your website and ORM.
- Focus on positive reviews about your restaurant and services monitor review site. Reply visitors for positive reviews and resolve your negative reviews. pay close attention to what people are saying about your restaurant online.
- Offer online reservation option in your mobile app or in website to book a table in your restaurant like OpenTable. It easier for your customers to book a seat.
- Collect your customer’s data like email, phone number and grow your email database if you want to do direct marketing, email marketing is more easy and efficient, faster way to keep your customers up to date about your new dishes and offers.
- Provide discount coupon code for online booking of orders from your restaurant app or web and enough incentive for people to pay attention. Give your patrons incentive to download your app and to follow you on social media channels.
- Run a contest on social media. This is considered to be a great way to bring in more customers, and promote loyalty. Give them a chance to win a great deal and you’ll give them another reason to come back to your platform again.
- Don’t be shy and Just ask! Ask your customers to ‘Like’ you on Facebook, follow you on Twitter and Instagram, and help spread the word.
Also read: 5 Reasons Why Restaurants Should Have a Mobile App
More Restaurant Marketing Tips Wanted!
Please write us an email… how do you market your restaurant? Do you have any more restaurant marketing tips to add to my collection? Please share with me and readers! I’d love to know! If you enjoyed this post, Like, share and comment.
